


Whim of the Eternal Ai

by recoilshipping



Series: clôture and a wiegenlied (Aku no Monogatari AU) [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 09:23:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20851145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/recoilshipping/pseuds/recoilshipping
Summary: most days Ai thinks immortality is dull and boring. and some days...Based on the songs “Swear an Oath on that Bridge” and “That King Was Born From Mud” by mothy (Akuno-P).





	Whim of the Eternal Ai

“Get rid of that pesky king and end this war!”

Ai thinks about the orders given to him by the Beelzenian emperor as he stands guarding the Sanosun Bridge.

The empire of Beelzenia had once been the most powerful on the continent, but had been on a steady decline. Struggling to keep rule over the vast territory contained in its borders, new nations had fragmented off from it.

Now, one of those nations, the Kingdom of Lucifenia, was invading the empire, seeking to gain more land and resources. The one leading the charge was its own ruler, King Judai Lucifen d'Autriche.

Thus the emperor’s order for Ai to defeat the leader of Lucifenia. Without their figurehead, the invading army would scurry on home. Or be slaughtered by Beelzenian soldiers. Whichever happened first.

_“Seriously, how annoying,” _the sorcerer complains to himself. _“A bossy emperor and a persistent king, thorn after thorn in my side.”_

Ai had been employed by several members of Beelzenian royalty over the centuries, so he had an on-and-off again role as the empire’s mage, and a bit of a reputation too. Though this latest emperor seemed overly reliant on that fact, and was far too comfortable giving Ai commands then sitting around waiting for the mage to sort out all his problems.

Which tied into Ai’s current predicament. He’d wanted to end this war with minimal casualties, so when he’d first met King Judai on the battlefield he was ecstatic to find that the king wished to face him in single combat.

The king had barely drawn his sword when Ai summoned a powerful galeforce storm, and blew the entire Lucifenian army back towards their own country.

They didn’t take the hint to leave.

Instead, King Judai and his troops had advanced upon another route further into the empire.

But this detour route had one little flaw. The terrain it cut through was mostly arid desert. To leave the desert and continue into Beelzenia’s plains, one has to cross the river dividing the geography. The speed of the rapids has taken many a foolish crosser’s life. Swimming or attempting to ford the river would only result in death. So if the army hoped to continue, they would need to cross Sanosun Bridge.

And that’s where Ai is waiting for them.

The trap is set. There’s nothing left to do now but wait. A fool-proof plan, if he does say so himself. He’ll end the war for good this time.

He’s been up since dawn, estimating that Judai’s army would arrive sometime between then and noon. The promise of fresh water so close by after traversing the desert would be too overwhelming to wait for night fall, even if it meant cooler temperatures to march through.

The mid-morning sun is bright when he thinks he sees someone approaching. Squinting due to the glare of the light, he makes out the shapes of three people. One of them is the king, but he isn’t sure about the other two.

“Good. You’re here.” Judai says, stopping his little posse’s march a few yards away from Ai.

“What’s this? A 3 vs. 1 showdown? Are you mad that I broke the rules of single combat?” Ai asks.

“No. I have a proposition for you.” Judai replies.

Ai scoffs at him. “Bullshit. If you’re not here to fight then don’t waste my time.”

Even though it’s all a waste of time. Everything, ever since Ai gained immortality all those years ago. Day after boring day.

He raises his arm high to conjure another storm.

“Halt!” Judai shouts. “At least hear the offer first.”

Ai lowers his arm, but only partially.

“Join us.”

Ai has to hold his sides with his hands, he’s cackling too hard. “Join you? You’d ask me to betray the empire I serve, and serve you, its enemy, instead?”

“Yes.”

Judai’s two subordinates exchange judgmental glances with each other at their king’s deadpan response, and seeing this gets Ai even more hysterical with laughter. Oh, his lungs hurt from this silly jest.

“Why,” he manages to say in between breaths, “the fuck would I do that?”

“Gathered intel reports that you hold no fondness for the current emperor. Nor is Beelzenia your homeland, for every tale and legend about you, the Eternal Sorcerer Ai Clockworker, calls you an aimless wanderer whose home was lost centuries ago.”

Reminded of his past, Ai immediately sobers up and glares at Judai. “So what. You’ve heard things about me. Big deal.”

“Surely you must know how the empire allows its citizen to suffer at the hands of its nobles and aristocra-”

“Like you’re one to talk, Mr. Invader.” Ai shoots at him.

“I only fight to free all people of their despair.”

“You’re an idealistic moron. Who would believe in that crap so much that they’d defect?”

“We would.” The two subordinates suddenly speak up. Looking at them closer, he recognizes their attire. A man wearing the uniform of a regular Beelzenian infantry soldier with the insignias roughly scratched off, and a woman in the garb only worn by elite Asmodean generals.

“Eh? Wait a second, I know you.” he says to the man. “You fought my bodyguard that one time.”

The man acknowledges him with a quick nod of the head. “I’m Go Onizuka. Nice to finally meet you properly.”

“And you!” He turns his attention to the woman. “Little Miss Assassin, Emma Bessho! Last I saw you, you were still a tiny girl performing big murders in Asmodean.”

Asmodean was another country that had splintered from Beelzenia, and had been warring with Lucifenia.

Emma removes the mask covering half her face. “Yo, Ai. Happy to see you again too.”

“How odd that we all encounter each other here, in this way.” Ai says aloud.

“You seem surprised.” Judai notices.

A bigger picture suddenly clicks in AI’s head. “Oh, so that’s what this is. You’re starting a little collection. A squad of defectors.”

“It’s only a coincidence.” Judai assures him.

“Nah, it’s totally a club.” Emma teases the king.

Go looks sternly at Ai, then Emma. “You’re both ridiculous. I chose to believe in Judai’s ideals. Simple as that.”

“Spoil sport.” Emma pouts.

“Come now. We must wait for Ai’s decision after hearing our offer.” Judai reprimands his subordinates.

The three become silent as they await Ai’s response.

_“What to do, what to do?”_ Ai ponders.

The emperor waiting for him back at the empire’s capital,

the war being fought,

the plight of the citizens,

the three who had just been playfully bantering right in front of him…

“I’ll accept. On one condition.” Ai concedes.

“Anything,” Judai grants him.

“No matter your exploits, promise that you’ll leave the Sunavalon Forest alone.”

Judai smiles. “You need not worry about that. I never planned on doing so in the first place.”

“Oh? Why not?” The sincerity of the answer had already pleased Ai, but it also piqued his intrigue. This man might have it in him to conquer the entire continent, why spare the forest prior to Ai requesting it of him?

“Even I am well acquainted with all that forest means to people. It’s invaluable as a pilgrimage site and sacred place of the Sunavalon Sect, as well as to all its inhabitants, especially its wondrous wildlife.”

“Heh, you truly are idealistic. Give me a second.” He turns and with a few deep breaths, he again faces the others.

“Are you ready?” Kaze asks him.

“Yes.”

“Then may I ask that you three kneel, and I shall ordain thee.”

The wooden boards of the bridge creak and groan as Ai shifts his weight onto his kneecaps, trying to comfortably kneel without his flowing cape getting in the way.

“So uuuhh, what now?” Go is a little puzzled about the specifics of being ordained.

“Confer unto me your vows, and then you may rise.”

“Does it have to be something fancy, or…?” Emma doesn’t seem to have much experience in the formalities either.

Ai rolls his eyes. _“Amateurs,”_ he thinks.

“No, not at all. Whatever comes naturally to your hearts would honor me more than any of the traditional rites.”

_“And then there’s this piece of work,”_ Ai smiles to himself, _“a fittingly unusual king for a trinity of traitors.”_

***  
High up in the sky above them all, a bat has been witness to the oath.

“Lu Li La,” a three beat song he sings as the flutter of his wings carries him back to the rice fields of the Heavenly Yard.

**Author's Note:**

> translations sourced are [closure-of-yellow](https://closure-of-yellow.tumblr.com) AND   
[weigenlied-of-green](https://wiegenlied-of-green.tumblr.com)
> 
> -  
me: soooooo.... what exactly was that oath?  
ai: that's between us.  
me: understandable have a good day


End file.
